Spring Thaw [Hardcover]

Steven Schnur (Author), Stacey Schuett (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

It begins with a warm wind late at night sighing through the hemlock trees, swaying branches and shaking loose the heavy snow that fell all day...

As the sun rises slowly over the farmlands, subtle signs of spring begin to emerge. From thin streams of melted snow-water snaking down the windowpanes, to newborn lambs nestled in a mound of sun-warmed hay, to red-budded maple trees swollen with rising sap, the beauty of a world awakening from winter is revealed in stirring detail. Lyrical prose by author Steven Schnur is in perfect harmony with Stacey Schuett's warm, luminous paintings, celebrating the arrival of spring and the energy and renewal it brings.

Illustrated by Stacey Schuett

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3-Evocative language showcases the beginning of spring in this organic view of the natural world. The thaw "begins with a warm wind late at night, sighing through the hemlock trees" and continues through other snapshot images of nature, until finally the farmer and his son collect the buckets of sap from the maples and pause to feel the sunlight upon their faces. Schuett's captivating illustrations are the real stars here, as they shift from the deep blue of winter to the warm golden tones of spring. Various textures are incorporated into the scenes, giving them an almost tactile look. In addition, the art often offers unusual perspectives: a slanted tableau featuring empty boots indoors, a bird's-eye view of the man and the boy as they scatter crumbs for their feathered friends, and, in the end, a human's-eye view of these same people. The text provides a soothing background to this lyrical montage of images, from the raccoon peeking its nose out of its den to the tiny streams of water running from the melting rooftop snow like a "curtain of crystal beads." The book works beautifully as a mood piece and the topic makes it a must for any collection. Pair it with Reeve Lindbergh's North Country Spring (Houghton, 1997) to usher in the season.
Kathleen M. Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, Eldersburg, MD
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The poetic text of this picture book closely observes changes in a rural setting that point to the coming of spring: a warm wind, dripping icicles, and wagon wheels cutting ruts through snow to the mud beneath. Life quickens, too, with sap running in the maple trees and lambs burrowing in hay beside the barn. A farmer and a young boy, glimpsed earlier in the illustrations, appear at the end of the book to collect the maple syrup buckets and smile because spring has come at last. The concreteness and dignity of the text are reflected in Schuett's illustrations, which use layers of color to create lively effects of light and shadow on snow, at night and through the day. More a lyrical mood piece than a story, this picture book would be a worthwhile addition to story hours focused on the season. Carolyn Phelan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670879614
• ISBN-13: 978-0670879618
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,087,260 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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